Eastercon advice

[white_hart]

I would really like to go to Eastercon this year, but anxiety brain is making me second and third guess myself about my ability to deal with the full con experience. I know I’ve done three years of Nine Worlds, but the central London location made it really easy to stay off site and for T to come too and just go off and do his own thing during the days; that’s not going to work for Eastercon so it would just be me by myself and I’m a bit worried about how that would go. (It doesn’t help that Easter is so late this year I won’t be able to take recovery time the week after, as it’s 0th week of term and work will be busy.)

Reassurances, encouragement and stories of how to survive a con as the kind of sociable introvert who absolutely loves the right kind of interactions with people right up to the point where she goes splat and tends not to be great at pacing would be appreciated here!

Comments

[sfred]

In my experience, Eastercon is a much quieter thing to be at than Nine Worlds, partly because the average attender is a bit older, and partly because of the sorts of things that happen on the programme.

I have done staying onsite for cons and I have done staying offsite, and I prefer the former because I can get back to my room in almost no time at all and sit in the quiet.

[white_hart]

Thanks, that's helpful. Someone else said something similar on Twitter so I have clearly misosmosed Eastercon as scarier.

I worry that if I'm onsite I will struggle to disengage properly, though I can see the appeal of being able to take time out whenever you need it. I think at Heathrow it would be fairly easy to stay offsite but very close which might be a good compromise.

[hilarita]

For this, I actually like staying in the con hotel, because it's really easy to go back to your room, maybe have room service, and go flomp. Although it's out at Heathrow, which is a bit more annoying, because airport hotels are deeply soulless. However, it's not like most people will be making a racket in the corridors outside your room.
Eastercon is also quite friendly to introverts, and people who have to nope out of interaction because you're out of interaction points.

[white_hart]

Thank you - that is reassuring.

[antisoppist]

I haven't done cons but I do work-related conferences/events and sometimes wish my life had something in between me working alone in my house for months and me interacting with lots and lots of people non-stop for three days.

I have got better at pacing with practice. Can now go "I will have had enough of people by Thursday so rather than ploughing through and being foul and grumpy on Thursday, I will miss session X on Wednesday afternoon, do the Wednesday night dinner, and skip the first session on Thursday morning". Can you go through a programme and book yourself breaks in advance? Sometimes a hotel too far away from the event itself makes this harder to arrange. Although long walks are beneficial, it makes it harder to just disappear for an hour to sit in your room with a book if this is going to involve walking miles (in the rain).

If you need excuses for absenting yourself for a bit, I have found "I am only here for four days and this is my one chance to go to a fabulous fabric/wool shop" quite handy, whether the location is London or Helsinki.

[white_hart]

Thank you - that's all really helpful. I can do this!

[norfolkian]

I understand - I've been to a couple of smaller local cons, but never done one in London. They look great but also overwhelming.

Could you work out where to escape to for a bit if you needed to? Like maybe finding a cafe off-site to retreat to for a bit? Will T be able to provide support by phone if needed?

[white_hart]

I think I might stay in a nearby hotel rather than the main con hotel, and make sure I have plenty of tea and snacks with me so I can retreat there if needed.

[alithea]

I am very tempted to come too, it would be lovely to see you! Also if you want someone to be introverted with, I am quite happy to sit together in a cafe and drink tea and read or whatever while not speaking 😀

[white_hart]

Oh, do come! It would be brilliant to see you!

[alithea]

I shall! I can handily visit my sister on the way back.

[lokifan]

I'm sad I've missed you at Nine Worlds!!! But only fairly newly following you, I think.

Hmm. I think cons are actually great for that kind of thing. What I'd rec is bringing your own snacks, because the con hotel is expensive and there's nothing nearby, and then you can just go and flompf in your own space when needed.

[white_hart]

I have decided to take the plunge and go to Eastercon, and had already thought that a good supply of snacks (including pot-noodley type things) would be a good thing to bring!